Wardrobe-trunk.



THOMAS J. HAMILTON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

WARDROBE-TRUNK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 653,177, dated-July 3, 1900. Application filed May 14:, 1900. fierial No. 16,566. (No model.)

To all whom it may 001mm.- A

Be it known that I, THOMAS J. HAMILTON, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of New York, borough of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in WardrObeTrunkS', of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in wardrobe trunks, and has for its object to provide a trunk with means for suspending a number of suits of clothing therein which may readily be removed or which may-be neatly packed against the bottom of the trunk in such a manner that they will retain their respective position though the trunk be but partially filled.

\Vith this object in view my invention consists in providing a trunk with a slidable suspension-rod at one end, to which a number of suits of clothing may be hung by ordinary coat-hangers, so that when the trunk is set down on its bottom the garments will form a vertical pile. Vertically-adjustable presserarms are slidable on guide-rods attached to either side of the trunk and are adapted to be pressed down against the garments and then looked in position by setscrews to retain the clothing in position. Suitable connecting-bars are pivoted to the outer ends of the presser-arms and are adapt ed to assist the arms in their functions by bearing on the clothing between said arms, and when it is desired to pack the trunk in the usual manner these bars, with the arms, may be swungon the guide-rods to a position close to the sides of the trunk where they will be out of the way and will occupy very little space.

WVith these and other objects in view my invention further consists in the novel details of construction and combination of parts to be clearly described in the following specification, and fully set forth in the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, forminga part of this application, in which like characters of reference indicate similar parts throughout, Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved trunk with the cover thrown open, showinga number of garments retained therein. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional View thereof, and Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view of one corner of the trunk, showing the structure of a presser-arm.

In the drawings, 1 represents the trunkbody, provided with the vertical guide-rods 2 along its sides from top to bottom, on which slide depressor-arms 3, having enlarged flattened outer ends 4:, with pads 5 of feltor other suitable material on their bottom faces and connectingbars 6, pivoted to their upper faces. The presser-arms are provided with set-screws 7 for binding them in their adjusted positions and are curved so that their outer ends are lower than their inner ends that they may engage the clothing by their pads alone.

At one end of the trunk, extending from top to bottom, is a vertical guide 8, having a longitudinal T-shaped slot, in which a similarly-shaped slide 9 is adapted to fit, and this slide carries a depending suspension-rod 10,

to which the coat-hangers 11, carrying the garments, are adapted to be hung.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the trunk may be filled, preferably when standing on end, by attaching the several suits of clothing to the removed slide and then replacing said slide within its guide, when the presser-arms are forced back against the garments with the desired pressure and bound in position by their set-screws. l/Vhen thus packed, the garments are free from being tossed about and mussed up during rough handling of the trunk and retain their pressed condition, though they occupy only a portion of the space.

It is obvious that my improved trunk is suitable for use as a wardrobe by being kept standing on end with the garments suspended and under the influence of the presser-- arms or not, as desired. When it is desired to remove a certain article of clothing, the slide is pulled out sufficiently for that purpose and the hanger containing that garment is disengaged from the suspension-rod 10 without disturbing the remaining garments.

Numerous changes may be made in details of construction and arrangement without departing from my invention, as omitting the set-screws 7 and depending upon the frictional engagement of the presser-arms with the guide-rods.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a device of the character described, a trunk, guide-rods secured therein, presserarms adjustable longitudinally and radially on the guide-rods, and a connecting-bar pivoted to the presser-arms, substantially as described.

2. In a device of the character described, a trunk, guide-rods secured therein, presserarms adjustably slidable on the guide-rods, and connecting-bars pivoted to the presserarms, substantially as described.

3. In a device of the character described, a trunk, guide-rods secured therein, adjustable padded presser-arms slidable on the guiderods, and connecting-bars pivoted to the presser-arms, substantially as described.

4. In a device of the character described, a trunk, guide-rods secured therein, adjustable presser-arms slidable on the guide-rods, a guide in one end of the trunk, a slide fitting therein, and a suspension-rod carried by the slide, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this application in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

THOMAS J. HAMILTON.

Witnesses:

HENRY BENOIT, E. MCKATRAD. 

